HYDERABAD: Chances are remote that the Gujarati woman, using whose photo TRS legislator Kasipeta Lingaiah allegedly secured a passport in his wife's name, will be traced.

This is because she could have either already flown to the US using some other passport and visa obtained fraudulently or dropped her plans of flying abroad, police officials investigating the sensational passport fraud case say.

The woman's vanishing act gave the police an idea about the detailed plans of the racketeers behind human trafficking and the precision with which they are being executed. Rasheed, who was arrested in connection with the passport scam, reportedly told the police that he never saw the woman in question.

Main broker

The woman was one of the clients of his associate Raju Pitti, the alleged main broker in the fraud who is still eluding the police. He sent her photo to Rasheed to secure a passport and visa for her in the name of a legislator's wife.

"The main broker had sent the woman's photos not just to Rasheed but also to many such agents working under him," the investigators observe.

After striking a deal with the Gujarati woman, the broker sent her photos to all his agents.

The agent who could first secure the passport and visa papers claiming that she was a legislator's relative was supposed to get the money. Rasheed received photos of the woman sometime in January but took more than four months to secure her passport in the name of Kasipeta Lingaiah's wife.

MLA persuaded

Police believe that the said woman got passport and visa through Raju Pitti's other agents and flew abroad even as Rasheed arranged an interview for her at the US Consulate in Chennai.

"That is why Rasheed brought another woman, who is believed to be one Sangeetha, another Gujarati woman, to Chennai and persuaded the TRS legislator to act as her husband," the investigators explained.

Modus operandi

It is learnt that the passport racketeers offer Rs. 20-30 lakhs to legislators for smuggling a woman abroad. After securing the visa, the legislator has to fly abroad along with the woman. While the woman stays back, the legislator returns alone.

"The deal amount would reach him through `hawala' transaction by the time he lands at his house," the police said.

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